Sep 25/04
Pop Nigeria
I love Nigerian music. I occasionally love Nigeria. Lagos may be one of the shittiest (read: interesting) places I’ve ever visited, but it must have been a great place to dance in 1970. In honour of my favourite/least favourite neighbour nation I’m devoting the inaugural week of my audioblog to Nigerian music from the 60s, 70s and 80s. By far the best sounds to come of West Africa since the studios started recording here.
In the few times I’ve been over there I grabbed a bunch of bootlegs out of the $1 bins at the markets in Lagos and Abuja. Everyone thinks of Fela Kuti and afrobeat when they think of Nigerian music from the 70s, but the stuff that really rocks me these days is the imitation pop. Seems there was a whole generation of Nigerian musicians dead-set on becoming Monkees sound-alikes.
I was looking for some albums by a personal favourite called the Bongos Ikwue when I came across a burned copy of “Flashback – A Decade of Hits 1970-80 Nigeria”. I have no idea if this is some Nigerian 419-er compilation or an album you could get elsewhere, but it’s fantastic – especially if you’re into that Nigerian imitation American pop sound.
Strangers – Nobody Called Me
Semi Colon – Slim Fit Maggie
[...] I have the musical guest spot over on my friend Matt’s burgeoning audioblog website Benn Loxo du Taccu. It’s a great Sierra Leonian danceclub treasure that I titled “Tell me if you want me to [...]
yeah, that alternative niger-pop sound beats the shit out of a lot of the afrobeat and funk as it is so distorted and infectious at the same time
i love the strangers, and both vol 1 and 2 of that greaest hits series
cool to hear you like it too, it goes unnoticed
best, chris
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